Just picture this Team Canada doubters...

Ando · Guru

Just picture this Team Canada doubters...

Muller93 · Guru

Ando wrote:

One team in 'Pool B' of men's Olympic hockey is currently cruising along the road to a top seeding in the round robin format. They are happy no doubt...almost giddy perhaps...at the prospect of facing a weaker team from 'Pool A' later this week in a "ho hum" game. ...then...suddenly they realize...their first game of the tournament that matters is going to be played against Team Canada! How much comfort do you think this team will take in the fact that Team Canada hasn't scored in +5 periods??? How long can the likes of LeCavalier, Iginla, Gagne, Sakic, Nash, Thornton, Richards, St.Louis, etc, etc, etc be denied??? And-o is here to tell ya...NOBODY...NO TEAM...NO WAY...NO HOW...whats to be the chump in 'Pool B' that faces-off against Team Canada later this week...NOBODY!!! Furthermore, all of these creampuff sweet-heart butter-cup Euro-flash and dash teams are just praying that they don't see the likes of the Red Maple Leaf again this Olympics! ...history repeats!!!

Yes, I too see the wrath of the maple leaf pending.

jeanthehabtiste · Senior Member

Czechs.

wright · Veteran Member

Ando wrote:

One team in 'Pool B' of men's Olympic hockey is currently cruising along the road to a top seeding in the round robin format. They are happy no doubt...almost giddy perhaps...at the prospect of facing a weaker team from 'Pool A' later this week in a "ho hum" game. ...then...suddenly they realize...their first game of the tournament that matters is going to be played against Team Canada! How much comfort do you think this team will take in the fact that Team Canada hasn't scored in +5 periods??? How long can the likes of LeCavalier, Iginla, Gagne, Sakic, Nash, Thornton, Richards, St.Louis, etc, etc, etc be denied??? And-o is here to tell ya...NOBODY...NO TEAM...NO WAY...NO HOW...whats to be the chump in 'Pool B' that faces-off against Team Canada later this week...NOBODY!!! Furthermore, all of these creampuff sweet-heart butter-cup Euro-flash and dash teams are just praying that they don't see the likes of the Red Maple Leaf again this Olympics! ...history repeats!!!

I don't think anyone is intimidated by Canada anymore. Through ou this toutnament there are at least four teams playing at a much higher level than Canada. Watch any game that does not feature Canada and it is a track meet. Then flip over and watch the slow sluggish skating of Pronger, Foote,Bertuzzi to name a few. Sure, the tournament really does not start until Wednesday and certainly Canada could not play worse than they have up until now, but they are not going to get the easy ride they had in '02 when they played the Finns (who had no quality goaltending) and then Belarus in the semis! Before playing the US in the finals.

I would never write off Canada, but right now there is real defensive zone coverage problems, everytime Foote,Pronger or McCabe are on the ice it is a disaster waiting to happen, i don't expect that to change. Certainly the forwards can and will get better, but they are also facing much better goaltending than in past olympics, and in a one game elimination a hot goalie can dictate the outcome. I really don't think Sweden or the Russians are intimidated by Canada, they have enough talent to match up with our guys.

Nil d · Guru

Ando wrote:

that Team Canada hasn't scored in +5 periods???

That's the second time you make a reference to this non-scoring streak. I'm not a numerologist, but having been shut out twice in a row would mean 6 + periods..............

heet_150 · Guru

Nil d wrote:

Ando wrote: that Team Canada hasn't scored in +5 periods??? That's the second time you make a reference to this non-scoring streak. I'm not a numerologist, but having been shut out twice in a row would mean 6 + periods..............

Technically, 6 is more than 5. lol

barry33 · Guru

Lack of goalscoring aside, I think that we need look no further than defence. Guys like Pronger and McCabe have looked very "Sheldon Souray Like" this week. I felt all along that McCabe was not a good choice and it is showing. He is a one dimensional player who cannot play defence. Some in Toronto have been touting him as defenceman of the year material..uhmmmm not. He is a big pylon with a big shot on the PP. Thats it.

As for offence, the other teams have doen a very good job of scouting Canada. Lets face it though. The Swiss game was all about Marty Gurber. He stands on his head and steals the game. Nothing more and nothing less. Much like the Swedish women against the USA. Thsi carried over into the Finn game. Although the Fins did a much better effort team wise and outworked Canada, Canada went into that game tight...gripping the sticks tighter...passing the puck when they should have shot it. When you run into goaltending like Gerber, it carries over. You start thinking that you need to make the perfect play to score. I expect that you will see Canada fire at will today. Back to basics. Shoot and go to the net. Draper will be on Jagr like a shirt. We get decent goaltending from Brodeur today (and we will), and we win easily.

jeanthehabtiste · Senior Member

jeanthehabtiste wrote:

Czechs.

.....Just eatin' some crow, here.....

24 Rings · Guru

The positive - we won 3-2 over the Czechs.

The negative - The Czechs outshot the Canadians 12-2 in the third and 33-16 overall.

This team is going to make an early exit unless they start playing like they actually care. This is the problem with having millionaires in the Olympics and I hate the bloody excuse that these round robin games don't matter because they do matter - for pride and for country.